Congressional Record, Volume 154 Issue 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)

[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5143-H5145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 332) recognizing the 60th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

H. Con. Res. 332

Whereas the United Nations Charter sought to establish an
international forum to ``save succeeding generations from the
scourge of war . . ., reaffirm faith in fundamental human
rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the
equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small
. . .'';
Whereas, through manifold works of generosity, the people
of the United States exemplify a noble conviction that the
deepest yearnings of the human heart for respect and dignity
transcend political, ethnic, and religious differences;
Whereas the people of the United States continue to inspire
their leaders to prioritize endeavors which bring hope and
healing to those in need throughout the world;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948,
as a ``common standard of achievement for all peoples and
nations . . .'';
Whereas the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states, ``. . . recognition of the inherent dignity
and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the
human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace
in the world . . .'';
Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets
forth a common understanding of universal rights and freedoms
and the notion that these cannot be created and are neither
conferred by countries nor by governments, but rather are
inalienable rights and freedoms with which all human persons
are endowed by their very nature;
Whereas, Eleanor Roosevelt, who led the United States
delegation to the first Commission on Human Rights, was
responsible for drafting the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and in recognition of her unparalleled humanitarian
conviction, was elected as Chairwoman of the Commission;
Eleanor Roosevelt expressed her vision of a declaration of
true universality with enduring principles that would be
perpetually recognized by all nations when she stated, as she
submitted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for
consideration by the United Nations General Assembly, ``We
stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the
life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind. This
declaration may well become the international Magna Carta for
all men everywhere.''; and
Whereas United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted
on Human Rights Day 2007, that ``[i]t is our duty to ensure
that these rights are a living reality--that they are known,
understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere'': Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) recognizes on its 60th anniversary year the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as a singular achievement of the
community of nations;
(2) recognizes the contribution in the Declaration of
Independence and the United States Constitution to the
development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
the role of the United States in preserving the legacy of
these foundational human rights precepts through its
participation in the United Nations;
(3) urges all United Nations Member States to renew their
commitment to uphold and promote the transcendent principles
of human dignity enshrined in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, especially on behalf of the world's most
vulnerable persons and those who have no power to advocate on
their own behalf; and
(4) joins with colleagues inspired by the spirit of
goodwill in parliaments throughout the world in seeking to
guide the United Nations and its agencies to serve as
effective instruments of genuine and lasting justice and
peace among nations.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

General Leave

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and yield myself as much time as I may consume.
I want to congratulate our colleague Mr. Fortenberry for putting
forth this very important resolution. He's a very valued member of our
subcommittee, and he has been a strong supporter of issues of goodwill.

[[Page H5144]]

This resolution celebrates the 60th anniversary of the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first international
agreement on the rights of humankind. The universal declaration
proclaims the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family. It is this universal quality of the
declaration that is its strength.
The core freedoms and guarantees are entitlement of all people, not
just those from certain groups or cultures. As such, no government or
Nation has the power to confer these rights. They are inalienable
freedoms with which all people are endowed by their very nature.
The notion of inalienable rights was not invented in 1948. Socrates
wrote about ethic laws that were higher than laws of kings over 2,500
years ago.
Even a proclamation of such rights is not new. The Magna Carta, the
U.S. Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the
Bill of Rights and the French Declaration of the Rights of Men all
articulated specific inalienable rights.
The power of the declaration is that it represents the first
comprehensive agreement among Nations as to the specific rights and
freedoms belonging to all human beings. It has become a cornerstone of
customary international law, binding all governments to its principles.
In the 60 years that I have followed the adoption of the universal
Declaration, expansion of the circle of human dignity has come in fits
and starts. Authoritarian governments still attempt to limit freedoms
proclaimed by the declaration, including political and economic
pluralism, a free press, freedom of association, freedom of religion,
free and fair elections, and the rule of law. Nevertheless, the
declaration allows humble citizens, be they monks in Burma, political
dissenters in Cuba, journalists in Russia, lawyers in Pakistan or
dispossessed in Zimbabwe, a standard by which to measure and challenge
any government. As such, we see roots of freedom and democracy growing
in even the most repressed societies.
Our duty is to support the efforts of human rights defenders to
expand the circle of human freedoms so that the declaration will, in
Eleanor Roosevelt's vision, become the Magna Carta for all men
everywhere. As she says, it's better to light a candle than to curse
the darkness.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent
Resolution 332, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
As we reflect on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
gross violators such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, we cannot help but think
about how these repressive governments manipulate international oil
flows to keep us at their mercy.
We must reduce our reliance on these unstable foreign energy sources,
and the way to do that, Mr. Speaker, is by finding alternatives to oil
dependence. The U.S. should lead the way; yet we're stuck in the past
as our global competitors are indeed pursuing 21st century
technologies. We must commit ourselves to a comprehensive energy reform
policy that will improve energy efficiency and encourage investment in
ground-breaking research and advance alternative and renewable energy
technologies.
Much like the situation we're facing on human rights at the United
Nations, we shouldn't wait 60 years to address the increasing problem
of our foreign dependence on oil.
Mr. Speaker, 60 years ago and without a dissenting voice in the
United Nations General Assembly, we recognized the fundamental human
rights to life, to liberty, to freedom of religion, to freedom of
expression, to self-government through free elections, to freedom from
slavery and torture and so many other basic rights. The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights was the product of remarkable international
consensus, and it captured the distilled conscience of the world in one
of the United Nations' finest moments.
It was not an international law or covenant, and it did not claim to
be creating the rights that it included. Rather, its purpose was to
serve as a common standard of achievement for all peoples that is
premised on faith in fundamental human rights and the dignity and worth
of the human person.
We are fortunate and, indeed, truly blessed to live in a country
whose constitutional heritage has served to secure those aspirations
for all of America's people. But for so many people in the world, the
ideals of the universal Declaration are nothing more than an unkept
promise.
In Burma, in Cuba, North Korea and Zimbabwe, and many other Nations,
people suffer at the hands of self-seeking tyrants and brutal
dictatorships. Millions of others endure the scourges of human
trafficking, of religious persecution, and other offenses against human
dignity.
For those reasons, the universal declaration remains a valuable
touchstone, and the United States remains committed to promoting the
values that it espouses.
For this anniversary, however, it is also a sad opportunity to
reflect on how far the United Nations and its human rights bodies have
fallen from the lofty aspirations of the original declaration.
The United Nations Human Rights Council, formed to replace the
discredited United Nations Human Rights Commission, has devolved into
an offensive farce even worse than its predecessor.
The Council embraces some of the world's most notorious human rights
abusers as its members and has ignored genuine human rights advocacy in
favor of a relentless, single-minded attack on the democratic, freedom-
loving, multi-party State of Israel. In its session in March, the
Council passed more resolutions against Israel than against Burma,
North Korea, and Sudan combined, and it failed to comment at all on
abuses by Iran, Cuba or Uzbekistan.
The Council recently elected Jean Ziegler, a man who has compared
Israel to Nazis, and approved a notorious Israel basher as the new
Special Rapporteur on Israel and the Palestinian territories, Mr.
Speaker. The Council approved this mandate in the very same session
that it discontinued its observation of the Congo where rape is used as
a weapon against women and children.
In December 1948, Mr. Speaker, the United Nations General Assembly
proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1 year and 2 weeks
after it adopted a resolution creating the Jewish State that became
Israel. It is both tragic and offensive that extremists have been
allowed to hijack the U.N. human rights apparatus and turn the United
Nations' noblest intentions into a weapon against a democratic country.
It is my hope that the United Nations can somehow recover its moral
foundation and credibly place the ideals of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights back at the center of its operations.

{time} 1345

Human dignity and American values demand no less.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from
Texas, chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Transportation, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me thank the distinguished chairperson
of the Africa Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs and the full committee
chair, Mr. Berman, and the ranking member of the full committee, Ms.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and the ranking member of the subcommittee that
Mr. Payne chairs.
This is an important reiteration of this Congress' commitment to the
premises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And I might
read, in part, the language of this declaration that says, ``The
recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace in the world.''
I believe that there is no better time than the time that we are
engaged in today, the era of the world status, to reemphasize the
importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

[[Page H5145]]

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed it on December 10,
1948, and the language stated that it was declared as a ``common
standard of achievement for all peoples and nations.'' Sadly, in the
21st century, when we would hope to be celebrating the foundation of
freedom, justice and peace to the world, the world is conflicted. It is
conflicted in Iraq, where the different, distinctive ethnic groups of
Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds are engaged in violations, respectively, of
each of them by the other. And so even in a place of disruption in
Iraq, in a war that I oppose, we have concerns that are ignoring the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We must call for the protection
of human rights in Iraq. We must call for the protection of human
rights in Iran.
Today, I had the chance to speak to a young woman in Iran long
distance, international conversation to Miriam, a young woman of 22,
who had a wonderful vision in front of us for freedom, and the ability
to be the best interior designer the world would know. To do that, she
must have freedom, justice and peace in the world. The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights must apply to Iran.
And as we look to the tragedy in Burma, now some weeks old, to
understand that the junta continues to oppress those who suffer from
the terrible and horrific tragedy that occurred, that people sit along
roadsides trying to find, if you will, the resources that will come to
them through the international aid organizations, and their oppressive
regime is denying them that right.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. PAYNE. I yield the gentlelady an additional 2 minutes.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Can you imagine that the human rights and
dignity of those who are already brutalized through a horrific tragedy
of catastrophic proportions are now denied their human dignity because
this oppressive regime in Burma refuses to allow the international aid
organizations to go forward?
I hope by our reemphasizing this declaration, that we will stand in
abhorrence, in outrage over such undignified treatment. And then I
would ask, as we move forward, that we can no longer tolerate the
genocide in Sudan, and the completely reckless response of the Sudanese
Government in Khartoum to the dignity and human rights of those in
Darfur.
We have a litany of those. Those Tibetans who continue to fight every
day in Tibet simply to be acknowledged, simply to allow the Dalai Lama
to return over religion reasons. And to think that he has to be denied
the right to come back over religion reasons, Mr. Speaker. They allow
him to come on political reasons, on government affirmation, on
saluting the government, but just to be able to engage in his
religious, if you will, explanation, he is denied his human rights, the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. We could give a
roll call along the way of the travesties of justice.
Might I compliment and announce the change-around in Liberia with
President Johnson, who recognized a nation that had literally burned
the principles of human dignity and human rights; now, with her stellar
leadership, she is restoring the dignity to the Liberian people.
It can be done. It can be done in Sudan. It can be done in
Bangladesh. It can be done in Burma. It can be done in North Vietnam.
It can be done in places where oppression exists. But I rise today to
recount the tragedies of denial of human rights, but also to applaud
those who have overcome. And I believe it is our responsibility to not
only applaud them, but to encourage them.
I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and let us do it by
words and deeds.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), the author of this resolution.
MR. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute today to a
pre-eminent achievement of 20th century statesmanship, an example of
U.S. leadership in the quest for securing fundamental dignity for all
human persons.
I would also like to thank Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen and her staff,
as well as Chairman Berman and Mr. Payne, my subcommittee chairman, as
well for their work in bringing this important resolution before the
House.
Mr. Speaker, it was on December 10, 1948 that the memory of a brutal
world war, which took over tens of millions of lives, scarred millions
of survivors of an unimaginable holocaust, and unleashed the full fury
of atomic power on the guilty as well as the innocent, remained vividly
etched in the world's collective consciousness that led to this
important moment.
In view of this unprecedented devastation, and in the hope of
preventing future conflict, the United Nations General Assembly
proclaimed a Universal Declaration of Human Rights as ``a common
standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.'' And it also
recognized that ``the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace in the world.''
As the memory of World War II fades and recedes into history, it
becomes ever clearer to me that our rapidly changing world appears to
be losing sight of the guiding principles that have accompanied the
promotion of human dignity, peace and prosperity since the earliest
progression of civilization. I also believe we are living in a day when
the myriad of distractions of modern life in the United States leave
precious little time for philosophical reflection upon the foundations
which have guided this Nation through many turbulent times.
To draw attention to these important principles and the pivotal role
of the United States in bringing the Universal Declaration to fruition,
I was pleased, along with Mr. Delahunt, to introduce this resolution to
recognize the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. It
is my hope that this effort will serve as a vivid reminder of the
profound contributions of the United States throughout our short
history as a champion of human rights around the world, of the work
that is left to be done, and inspire thoughtful reflection on the
transcended principles of human dignity.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I do believe that the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights is extremely important. We have to work to have the
United Nations. And we certainly celebrate this 60th anniversary.
I urge support for this resolution. I'd like to thank Mr. Berman, Ms.
Ros-Lehtinen and, of course, Mr. Fortenberry for this very timely
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 332, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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